AVOCA – Beneath a large American flag suspended between two fire trucks, a procession of Boy Scouts carrying the colors and first responders in full dress made their way through the streets of Avoca to Queen of the Apostles Parish on Sept. 11, 2026.
Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the community continues to gather in prayer – remembering those who lost their lives, honoring the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice and giving thanks for the men and women who continue to serve their communities today.
The annual Blue Mass and 9/11 Memorial Service at Queen of the Apostles Parish brought together local police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, Scouts, elected officials, families, and parishioners for an evening of remembrance and gratitude.
“Since 1874, Christians have been coming to Saint Mary Church in Avoca to pray for their many needs,” Father Thomas Petro, Pastor of Queen of the Apostles Parish, said. “For the past 25 years, we’ve been gathering in prayer to pray for the victims and the heroes of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.”
The Mass began with a bagpipe escort and the presentation of the colors. Avoca Scouts Troop 316 and Pack 316 participated in the procession.
Inside the church, a framed photograph commemorating the FDNY firefighters who died on Sept. 11 was displayed near the ambo, serving as a visible reminder of the lives lost that day.
Father Petro said the annual Mass has become both an act of remembrance and a spiritual responsibility.
“We look forward to hosting this Mass as an act of gratitude and our own spiritual duty for those who have cared for us,” he said. “We wish to care for them spiritually and to remember them in our prayers.”
For retired Avoca Fire Chief Chris VanLuvender, continuing the tradition for 25 years has been an important way to honor both the victims and the heroes of 9/11.
“At the beginning of this, we thought it would be a nice tribute to have this every year and continue it every year,” Van Luvender said. “So far, it has been going on for the last 25 years.”
Donald Hudzinski, President of the Pittston Township Ambulance, said the Blue Mass provides an opportunity for the parish and emergency services communities to come together.
“Through this service, together we pray not only for our municipalities, but for the emergency service providers,” he said. “Not just for who they are, but for what they are called on to do.”
Hudzinski emphasized the critical role first responders play when others are in crisis.
“It’s a very challenging profession. But it’s very rewarding personally – that all these people carry out their duties with care, compassion, and service, and do it for people that they’ve probably never met,” he added.
The evening concluded with one of Father Petro’s favorite traditions: the blessing of emergency vehicles parked outside the church along Hawthorne Street.
“I feel like a little boy walking around those big shiny red trucks and saying prayers and blessing them,” Father Petro said.
The vehicles, Hudzinski noted, are more than equipment.
“They are an instrument of what we do,” he said.